Donald Trump was covertly smuggled off Air Force One into a military transport aircraft during a July stopover in Ankara, Turkey, after Israeli authorities warned of an Iranian attack plot against the then-president, according to reporting by The Washington Post. American intelligence agencies, however, viewed the threat assessment as lacking credibility, exposing a sharp division between Washington analysts and foreign partners over the high-stakes security maneuver.
The Secret Transfer on the Ankara Tarmac
The clandestine operation unfolded on July 8 following a NATO summit in Turkey, as VG and The New York Times have previously reported. High-ranking officials, government workers, military personnel, and journalists remained completely unaware inside the original Boeing 747 while Trump was moved into a catering container. Workers transferred him from the primary presidential aircraft to a smaller C-32A military jet.
While Trump boarded the alternative aircraft accompanied by Defense Minister Pete Hegseth and personal aides Walt Nauta and Dan Scavino, senior members of the administration stayed behind. According to CNN, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, and Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller remained on the large plane, effectively serving as decoys in case of an attack.
Did you know? A remarkably similar aviation diversion tactic was deployed in the year 2000, when then-President Bill Clinton used an unmarked private plane for a trip to Pakistan while sending his official presidential aircraft ahead as an empty decoy. Former press secretary Joe Lockhart noted that the Clinton administration prioritized civil safety to avoid using passengers as shields.
Clashing Assessments Between CIA and Israeli Intelligence
The intelligence driving the evacuation originated from Israeli authorities and was passed directly to the CIA, as detailed by The Washington Post. Yet, current and former U.S. officials revealed that CIA analysts dismissed the warning.
– Israelsk-basert, ikke amerikansk-generert, og vurdert som lav troverdighet, one American official told the newspaper, describing the intelligence as locally sourced rather than U.S.-generated and rating its reliability as low. The White House has not publicly commented on how the administration evaluated the incoming warning. Meanwhile, some U.S. officials interviewed by the newspaper suggested that Israeli intelligence shared the threat to sway Trump’s decisions rather than purely to inform him.
The skepticism drew sharp calls for transparency from lawmakers. Senator Chris Van Hollen questioned the validity of the foreign intelligence during interviews regarding the incident.
– Jeg er svært nysgjerrig på i hvilken grad den israelsk-leverte etterretningen ikke bare var troverdig, men også uavhengig verifiserbar, Senator Van Hollen told The Washington Post. – Jeg er ikke i tvil om at Iran gjerne vil bli kvitt presidenten, men dette virker litt virkelighetsfjernt.
Trump Defends Secret Evacuation Tactics
Trump publicly confirmed the covert relocation, stating that he acted entirely on the advice of Secret Service agents and military personnel. Speaking to reporters, he rejected claims that the maneuver increased risks for the remaining passengers.
– Jeg tror faktisk at flyet jeg fløy på var i større fare. Fordi det er det flyet jeg tror de mest sannsynligvis ville gått etter, Trump told reporters. – Jeg gjør bare det de vil. Så jeg følger Secret Service. Og militæret. De ville at jeg skulle ta et annet fly.
The security measures follow a series of heightened threats against the former president, including a July 2024 incident where Trump was wounded in the right ear by gunfire and evacuated from a campaign rally in Pennsylvania.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who warned the U.S. about the threat against Donald Trump?
According to The Washington Post, Israeli authorities provided the intelligence warning of an Iranian plot to the CIA.
How was Trump moved between aircraft in Turkey?
As reported by VG and The New York Times, Trump was smuggled out of the original Air Force One inside a catering container and transferred to a smaller C-32A military aircraft at Ankara’s airport.
Did American intelligence believe the threat?
No. CIA analysts rated the intelligence as having low credibility and expressed skepticism to the Trump administration, according to current and former U.S. officials cited by The Washington Post.
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